


The Rise of the New King

by zia2345



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fights, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Link isn't mute, Midna and Zelda are a power couple, Nightmares, Psychological Torture, Rape Aftermath, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:13:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 15
Words: 17,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23955910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zia2345/pseuds/zia2345
Summary: Life in the Twilight Realm was boring.Compared to the fun and adventure Midna had with her friend, Link, it was absolutely awful. It was boring, and Midna secretly hated it. She hated the monotony. Little did she know that in one month’s time, she’d be praying to go back to the time where the largest problem was a travel gate not functioning.~~~~~~~~~~When citizens of the Twilight Realm are disappearing from their beds, Midna is stuck trying to figure out how to fight this new malicious force. With the help of her trusted advisor, can she defeat this unknown evil before it's too late?
Relationships: Link & Midna (Legend of Zelda), Link/Midna (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

Life in the Twilight Realm was boring. 

Compared to the fun and adventure Midna had with her friend, Link, it was absolutely awful. It was boring, and Midna secretly hated it. She hated the monotony. Little did she know that in one month’s time, she’d be praying to go back to the time where the largest problem was a travel gate not functioning. 

Being royal was fun at first. Midna would start her day with good food and a nice bath. She would then have a cup of tea before sitting down on her throne. 

This is where the fun ended. 

Sitting on the throne for hours on end was boring. Every single day was the same. Midna would come in and sit on her throne, with guards around her. On her right was the Hand of the Queen, Lady Malirin. Malirin, or Mali was a trusted friend from before she was queen. Her cockiness was unparalleled. She wasn’t the traditional advisor. Midna had told her early on that she didn’t want Mali to address her as queen out of fear of changing the dynamics of their friendship. During moments when others were around, she would use all formalities, but when it was just those two, formalities meant nothing. They studied together, and after her coronation, she became her most trusted advisor. Together, they would listen to updates about travel gates, and villages, and how good life was. Every once in a while, she would be informed about new creations developed by her scientists. The newest creation was called The Reverter. It had the ability to return certain objects to its prior state. The only issue was that during testing, the material to build it would simply explode. 

“Hold on,” Midna had interrupted. “Did you test this with citizens without consulting me? Do we know the possible dangers use could have?”

“N-No, my Queen!” The scientist, Arych had said. “We tested it ourselves!” 

Midna continued to listen on, letting the man, who was visibly shaken, tell her all of the situations that this could be helpful. Midna was only half listening, as she looked out the window and noticed a commotion. A group of people were outside the castle. She recognized them as the four lords of the lands. 

“Arych, I believe your invention will be of great use. I urge you to continue working on it. You have the support of the Queen.” Midna said. Arych bowed and left the room. Midna watched as the doors to the throne room opened. Each of the providence leaders entered, looking rushed. They all began to bow, but Midna held up her hand. 

“In my countless years, I have never seen you all together unless it was around a bottle. What is the reason?” 

“My queen, our people, they’ve gone missing.” The Lord of the Eastlands spoke. 

“Missing? How long has this been occuring?” 

“It all started about a week ago. Each night, people would go to sleep, but in the morning, they’d be missing from their beds.” The Lady of the Northlands said. “We’ve had almost two hundred people disappear, and I’m positive that there will be more missing when I get back.” 

“Is this the same for all of you?” The group nodded solemnly. “How many total have gone missing?” 

“Over one thousand, my Queen.” The Lord of the Westlands spoke. 

Midna sat. She was stunned, but kept her composure. “I will send guards home with you. I will also send people to investigate the homes of the missing.” A chorus of “thank you’s” emerged before they walked out. As soon as the door closed, Midna stood. 

“Lady Malirin, come with me. Guards, stay here.” Midna said. Malarin walked with her through the door behind the throne into the war room. The term “war” didn’t really mean war. Before Zant’s uprising, there hadn’t been a war in centuries. The Twili were a mostly peaceful race. In the war room was a table which was a map of the entire realm. The realm spanned a vast area. All in all, Midna reigned over almost a million Twili. To the south was the Southlands, beyond that, they called it the Outerlands. The lands that were uninhabitable. This could be where the people disappeared too, if there wasn’t a giant wall of toxic fumes sealing it off. To the north was the Northlands, to the east were the Eastlands, and to the west were the Westlands. The Twili, while powerful, weren’t that creative. In these lands were countless cities and villages. The castle was in the very center with a slight lean to the north. 

“What are your thoughts, Mali?” She asked. 

“Zant was the last leader of an uprising. After his death, it was silence.” Mali began. “We assumed because Ganondorf was defeated, we wouldn’t have any more issues with him or his followers. Maybe we were wrong, but I also can't envision how over a thousand people could disappear. It’s absurd.” 

“My thoughts as well.” Midna frowned. “Let’s wait for the informants to return before forming conclusions.” 

“Understood.” Mali said. 

~~~~~

It was the middle of the night. Midna couldn’t sleep, her mind racing. It had been two weeks since the informants were sent out. By all logic, at least one should be back with information. Midna was pacing in her room. Her white nightgown was long and flowy, the sheerness reflecting the light coming from the balcony. The brown wool rug was soft under her feet. Midna looked outside and observed her city. The people that she ruled. They were counting on her to keep them safe. She had let them down once, she vowed to not do it again. Midna stepped out to her balcony. As soon as she stepped out, she noticed a very foreign, but very familiar smell. She knew the smell, but it was uncommon. She looked to her left and to her right, but didn’t see anything. She decided to ignore it, as it would eventually go away. She felt a drop on her head. _It must be raining,_ she thought. She reminisced back to her adventures with the Hero, Link.

It was just after they had left the forest temple. Water began pouring from the sky. Midna immediately hid under a tree. Link was laughing at her, but Midna was just confused. She had never seen rain before. In the twilight realm, it never rained. 

Midna froze. _It never rained in the twilight realm._ She felt the top of her head. It was damp from a mysterious liquid. She checked her fingers. It was red and sticky. Midna’s blood ran cold as she slowly looked up. When she looked up, she found one of the informants she had sent. His skin was grey, even the black portions were greyed out. His eyes were closed and his face was gaunt. His stomach was wide open, his blood dripping down. A few drops landed on Midna’s face. 

Midna covered her mouth in order to not scream. She ran back inside, tripping over herself. She was backed against the door, starting to hyperventilate. As soon as her breath calmed, she stood and walked back outside. She made sure to not have more blood drip onto her as she moved to see the body. Inside the stomach was a piece of paper in a clear capsule. She took a deep breath and grabbed it from the corpse. 

Midna opened the capsule. Her heart was pounding. She unfurled the paper, to reveal a note. 

_We are coming. We have the numbers. I offer you two choices. Surrender the Fused Shadows and join my efforts to destroy the World of Light, or you can surrender the Fused Shadows and die. We will not accept defeat. We will ensure the false queen of light and every other person who dares to oppose us suffer a fate worse than death. We will not stop until all of the realms bow to the Twilight._

Midna looked in the capsule. There was an odd green plant, one that she barely recognized as a single blade of grass. Midna put the paper back in the capsule. She let it fall out of her hands and to the floor. She walked back into her room and donned a robe in at attempt to look decent. She wiped the blood off her face using her sleeve before opening the door and calling for guards. 


	2. Chaper Two

The man who was killed was named Yvister. He was loyal to the throne, and had no enemies. Midna sat on her bed after attending the funeral of the fallen informant. She was lost in thought. They were coming, and they had the numbers. They wanted the Fused Shadow, and she assumed her death. The King is obviously Zant, that didn’t need to be said, but they mentioned all the realms. They included grass, a type which didn’t grow in this realm, and was only found in Hyrule. This means they had a way to get to Hyrule, but how? Zant was able to travel between realms without the mirror, so this meant that it was possible, but how? 

Midna stood up and began to pace. She originally attributed that ability to Ganondorf’s power, but that was disproven by recent events. Her mind was racing with the possibilities that this brought. It meant Hyrule was at risk of invasion, but it also meant that Midna could go to Hyrule. She could see Link again. Would Link even want to see her? She left very suddenly, and out of the blue, but she had no choice. Link made her happy, but her happiness wasn’t worth having this life and the lives of Hylians at risk. 

Midna walked towards the door. She walked through the halls of the castle, making a beeline to the laboratory. She searched the room for Arych. Once she found him, she approached him. He immediately closed his book, stood, and bowed. 

“Arych, I need everyone focusing on finding a way to travel to another dimension.” 

“My Queen, without the Mirror-” 

“There is a way without the mirror. I suspect it is not magic of our tribe, but ancient magic. I need you to find it as soon as possible.” 

“Understood, Your Majesty.” 

Midna turned to leave. She walked out of the lab and she herself headed to the library. In the library was a host of ancient texts that could prove useful. She scanned a section about ancient magic. She used her powers to move the books off the shelf and follow her. After amassing a large collection, she sat down at a chair and got comfortable.

After a few hours, Mali walked into the library. “There you are,” She said. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“What do you need?” Midna asked, not looking up from the page. Mali sat down across from her. 

“What are you looking for?” Mali asked, not answering the question. Midna looked up to see Mali smirking. Midna gave a small laugh. 

“I’m looking for some ancient magic. In the capsule found in the body was a blade of grass. Grass is only found in Hyrule, meaning that this group has travelled to Hyrule and come back. There has to be a way. We need to find a way to warn Zelda-” 

“Zelda?” Mali interrupted. “Who’s Zelda?” 

“Zelda is the leader of Hyrule.” Midna answered. “But that doesn’t matter right now.” Mali grabbed a book out of the pile. 

“What are you doing?” Midna asked. 

“Do you plan on spending the rest of eternity reading all of these?” Mali asked. Midna gave a small smile and the two began to read. 

~~~~~

It was almost a month ago when they began researching. They sat at the table and read at every possible moment. In between audiences with the citizens, after the day had ended, and during sleepless nights, the pair would read. Rumors began spreading in the castle. It seems like what was on the note had gotten out. People became scared of an attack on the castle. Truth be told, Midna feared an attack as well. They wanted the Fused Shadow. They couldn’t possibly get it, as she held onto it at all times. She stored it between realms. If she wanted to summon it, she could do so at any moment, but she vowed to only bring it forth in battle or when passing it down to the next ruler. 

Midna was sitting on her throne, waiting for the next person seeking counsel to walk in. In came one of her soldiers. 

“My queen,” He said, bowing. 

“What do you request of me?” Midna asked, intrigued. 

“I have no requests, but I have information.” The knight began. “I have spotted an army moving towards the castle, near Southlanding. One soldier saw them moving through the fog separating us from the Outerlands. They have about two thousand footmen. They’re moving at a quick pace, it looks as if they’ll be here in a few weeks, three I predict.” 

Midna nodded. She dismissed the knight before rising from the throne. She left the room, Mali following her closely behind. Midna entered the war room, which now was adequately named. Midna leaned on the table. 

“We have men,” Mali started. 

“Men who have never seen war. I predict they’ll have shadow beasts. If they do, we are truly fucked.” Midna looked at the map on the table. She then looked to the war figurines, that she vowed never to use. 

“Bring me the General.” Midna stated, straightening her back. “Also, swing by the lab and tell Arych to move his ass.” 

~~~~~

The General, Termic was a man Midna rarely talked to, yet now they were going to have to work together. 

“My Queen,” He began. “I believe the best route would be to reinforce the castle barriers now.” 

“We need to focus on stopping their advances.” Midna pointed to the map. She pointed to the black space on it, the Anmar Void. Anmar Void was around a week’s journey from the castle. “They’ll have to pass this void. There’s only one way and that's by this little stretch of land. We rally the troops and meet them at this pass. The army is just north of Southlanding, which is two weeks from Anmar Void. We can make it there and set up our attacks before they arrive and ambush them.” 

Termic nodded. “I can have the troops ready to leave in two days time and get there about a week before they arrive.” 

“Good. I’d appreciate it if you could start mobilizing now so we can leave as soon as possible.” Midna said. 

“Your Majesty,” Termic bowed then left the room. 

“My queen,” Mali began. She wasn’t making eye contact. She looked exhausted. There were bags under her eyes and she was pale. She had been jumpier than usual, but Midna figured the fear of war was getting to her. Midna was about to ask if she was feeling okay when Mali continued. 

“I-I have news. Arych said he found something.” 

“What?” Midna immediately perked up. Her heart skipped a beat. She didn’t respond to Mali, as she was already moving out of the room. 

~~~~

“I built this platform.” Arych said. 

Midna, Mali, and Arych were in the laboratory. They were looking at an oddly shaped platform against a wall that held a mirror etched with symbols she recognized as the ancient Twili language.

“It mirrors the platform the Mirror used. I read about the design of the mirror. The actual mirror wasn’t magical, but it was the symbols placed upon the mirror. Once light hits it, it should open.” 

“How sure are we that this will work?” 

“I tested it. I’m unsure what Hylule-”

“Hyrule.”

“Hy _rule_ looks like, but it didn’t seem familiar to me.” Midna’s hopes were rising. 

“Show me.” She said, her heart pounding. Arych nodded. He removed the cover from a Sol, one of the many orbs known to cut through darkness. The strongest were the two in front of the castle, but there were smaller ones that could be crafted by drawing some of the light from the largest sols. He placed a magnifying glass in front of the ball and pointed it so all the light was concentrated on the mirror.

The mirror began to glow, a blinding white lite filling the room. Midna saw Mali look away, but she didn’t. She wanted to see. Soon the light died down and revealed a very familiar scene. She saw the sandy dunes of the Gerudo Desert. Midna stepped forwards. She couldn’t believe her eyes. They had found it. 

They had found Hyrule. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Just like before, I'd appreciate if you could leave a comment about your thoughts on the fic!


	3. Chapter Three

Midna asked Arych to close the portal, not wanting anything to come through. She thanked him for his hard work and left the room. Midna’s mind was racing almost as fast as her heart. She was walking through the empty halls of the castle, unsure where she was going.

“Midna,” She heard a voice behind her. “Midna.” 

“What?!” She said turning around. Mali was standing there, her brow furrowed. “What do you need?” 

“Talk to me.” Mali said, her voice calm. “What’s going on?” 

Midna looked around. “I can’t. Not here. Come with me.”   
~~~

Midna and Mali walked through the palace towards Midna’s room. She opened the door and closed it as soon as Mali was inside. 

“Now will you tell me what’s going on?” Mali asked. Midna sat on her bed. 

“You know I’ve been to Hyrule. It was almost five years ago that I went. When I was leaving, I shattered the mirror to ensure that the Twili could never attack the Hylians ever again. But now that there’s a way without the Mirror…” Midna paused. “I need you to do something for me. I need you to go to Hyrule and deliver two letters. I have a map, I’ll mark where two portals are that you can take. One will be a letter to Princess Zelda, the other to the man who saved our Kingdom. He has the sword that can cut through darkness, so he’ll be useful to her. You’ll have to be quick. We aren’t meant to survive in the World of Light. I assume you’ll have around twenty-four hours to get there and get back. It shouldn’t take long. Can I trust you to do this?” 

“I swear on my life, these letters will be delivered.” Mali said, without hesitation. “When do I leave?” 

“Tomorrow. Give me time to write the letters. I will let you know as soon as I can.” Midna replied. Mali nodded her head and left the room. Midna held her head in her hands. What would she say? How do you tell someone that their life and the lives of everyone they love are in danger? Midna stood and sat at her writing desk and began to write. 

After several attempts, Midna was exhausted, but she finally had two acceptable letters to be delivered. She had to go to the library to find a translation guide. The spoken language of the Twili and Hylian were the exact same, but the way it was written was completely different. It had the same grammar rules, yet different characters. They weren’t horribly different. When she was finished, it was already night time. She sealed them with wax and her stamp and stood. She put the map and letters in a secret compartment on her dresser. She laid down in bed and closed her eyes, trying to sleep.   
~~~~~  
“Hello?”

Midna heard sniffling. She opened eyes to a dark room. She had been asleep for a few hours. She wasn’t sure what time it was, but it was definitely nighttime. Midna’s eyes scanned the room until she saw at the foot of her bed a small girl crying. Midna got out of bed and approached the girl. 

“Sweetheart, are you okay? How’d you get here?” Midna asked, but the girl wouldn’t stop crying. The girl suddenly turned and ran out to the balcony. Before logic could take place, Midna followed her. Between the drowsiness and her caring personality, she couldn’t find it in her to ignore the little girl. 

The girl stopped at the edge of the balcony. Midna slowly approached, her heart pounding. She reached out to touch the girl’s shoulder. Suddenly the girl stopped crying and everything went black.   
~~~~

Malirin was waiting in the throne room for Midna to arrive. She was never late, always sticking to a strict schedule everyday. She excused herself from her post and walked towards Midna’s room. The guards were still outside. 

“Has Midna left her room?” She asked the pair. They both shook their heads. Mali’s blood turned to ice. “Move, I need to enter.” 

“My Lady, I don’t-” 

“MOVE!” Mali said, pushing the guards out of the way. She opened the door to find an empty room. Midna’s covers were thrown around, there were shelves pulled out of dressers, and her balcony door was open wide. Mali looked over to the dresser. She checked the hidden compartment. Midna always thought she was the only one who knew about it, but Mali was smart. Inside were the letters and map of Hyrule. Mali pocketed them before looking around more. On the balcony was a piece of paper. Mali sprinted to the paper and picked it up, fear building in her body. 

Checkmate. 

“No…”Mali gasped. She walked back inside, holding the paper. 

“Lock down the castle,” She said to the guards entering the room. “They have the queen.”


	4. Chapter Four

Link was retired. 

He enjoyed the adventures that he had had with Midna, but nothing met that same thrill level, so he decided to go back to what he knew. The green outfit he once wore was locked away in the closet, the Master Sword was under his bed for emergency uses, and all of the tools he acquired, except for the Hero’s Bow and Lantern, were in the basement. He was enjoying retirement. He enjoyed simple life in Ordon, herding goats and riding Epona. Link never wanted to be a knight, he was a farm boy, but sometimes, in the dead of night, he would reminisce about the good old days. He would think about the action-packed adventures, the thrilling fights, but mostly, he’d think about the fun times he had with Midna. 

When Link saw Midna destroy the mirror, he felt a mixture of shock, heartbreak, and anger. He understood why, but that didn’t stop him from missing her. It was currently nighttime. Link had just gotten home and was about to go to bed when he heard a knock at the door. He looked outside his window and saw a mysterious hooded figure. They were looking around, seeming rushed. Link grabbed the Master Sword from under his bed and went to open the door. He hid his sword on the side of the door so the newcomer wouldn’t see it. He opened the door. 

Link was met with an unfamiliar person. It took him a few seconds, but he recognized the person as a member of the Twili race.  _ Not possible... _ he thought. 

“Are you the Hero? The Hero who saved the Twili?” The person was female. She paused, before continuing. “Link?” 

“Yes, I’m Link.” He said, removing his hand from the sword. “How did you-” 

“There’s no time to explain.” She said, removing her hood. Link moved aside and let her enter. “My name is Malirin. I am hand to the Queen of the Twili, Her Majesty, Midna. I come because the Twilight Realm as well as Hyrule are in danger of being destroyed.” Malarin pulled a letter out of her cloak. “Here’s my proof.” 

Link took the letter and opened it. 

_ Link,  _

_ By the time you read this, I will be marching with my troops. I am sorry I could not deliver this message personally, I hope you understand. Hyrule is in danger. There is a war happening in my kingdom, and they have made threats towards Hyrule. This cult is a group who were once soldiers for Zant. They are after the Fused Shadows. If they were to capture them all...I dread to think what would come of it. They have proven they have been to Hyrule, after the Mirror was destroyed, by bringing artifacts from your land. Should my kingdom fall, Hyrule will be next. The entire world of light is in danger.  _

_ I pray that it won’t come to this, but Zelda needs your help. You must pick up the sword and fight for Hyrule.  _

_ ~Midna _

“Please, Link, we need your help. The queen has disappeared.” Link looked up from the letter. “She disappeared in the dead of night last night. I...I fear for her safety.” 

“Did anyone see who took her?” He asked. Malarin shook her head. 

“The guards didn’t hear anything all night. We have some leads on where she would be, but we have no way of getting there. It’s in the Outerlands. To get through, you must pass through a thick wall of fog. Midna mentioned that your sword can cut through the darkness. I believe that your sword will be crucial to getting to the base.” She pointed at the Master Sword. 

“I’ve used the sword to cut through the thick fog before,” Link said. Malarin’s face brightened. A look Link recognized as hope. Link was silent. He swore that he wouldn’t go on adventures. He had a quiet happy life in Ordon, but Midna was in danger. 

“Please, Link, Midna, she’s not just my queen, she’s my friend. This group has already shown they are not afraid to commit gruesome acts. I truly fear for her safety.” 

“Let me collect my things, then I'll be ready. Give me a few moments.”

~~~

Around fifteen minutes later, Link was ready to go. He had grabbed his bow, the clawshots, and his bomb bag. He had changed into his signature green outfit. Wearing it felt so foreign, but so good. He realized he missed this feeling of importance. He grabbed the Master Sword and opened the door, to where Malirin was waiting. As soon as the door opened, she turned to face Link. 

“Are you ready?” She asked. Link nodded. She grabbed his hand and opened a portal on the ground. Together they walked through the portal, taking them to the Gerudo Desert. The Mirror was replaced with a portal, showing a strange man looking through the portal, who became excited as they approached. 

When Link entered the portal, he felt the chill of the Twilight Realm. His sword began glowing. The chills eventually faded, the power of the Triforce kicking in. Link looked around, he was in a laboratory of sorts. The room was well lit, revealing strange instruments. 

“Arych, I present to you, The Hero of Twilight, Link.” 

“A Hylian? I thought they were myths!” The man, Arych, said. His eyes were wide. 

“It’s nice to meet you.” Link said. “Malirin, when do we leave to find Midna?” 


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter is where the mature tag comes into play. There is no graphic sexual assault, but if depictions of torture bother you, I suggest you skip to the end of this chapter. I will leave a note containing very plainly what happened.

Midna was cold. 

After seeing the girl on the balcony, she couldn’t remember anything. Her head was pounding, and she didn’t know where she was. She was in a chair inside a dark, stone room. She had cuffs around her wrists, and her nightgown was torn and wet with a liquid she couldn’t identify. She tried to create a portal, but her magic had left her. 

Midna heard the door open. A man walked in, around six foot tall. He was wearing the trademark mask the Usurper, Zant wore. His armour was almost identical to Zant’s, except for the flowing bits off of the arms, which had been removed. 

“My queen,” He said, giving an overdramatic bow. “How blessed I am to be in your presence. I am Dustich, King of the Twili, Ruler of the Realms.” 

“Zant had better entrances. You should work on that.” Midna pointed out. She knew she could not show fear. A flash of pain radiated across her cheek. 

“You’re lucky I’m a man of my word or you would be dead by now. Where is the Fused Shadow?” he asked, his voice dripping with anger. 

“I don’t know.” Midna replied, maintaining eye contact with the man. He was a man of his word. Did he promise someone to keep her alive? Midna saved that information for later. “Would you care to enlighten me about who you are?” 

“Talk back to me one more time, and I’ll cut out your tongue.” 

“If you cut out my tongue, then how will I tell you what you want to know?” Midna felt pain flow through her. She was being electrocuted. She was unable to breathe for a moment, until the shock passed, and she could finally inhale. 

“Where is the Fused Shadow?” Midna took a few more deep breaths as a bead of sweat trickled down her forehead. Her heart was pounding at how long she knew it would last. 

“I don’t know” 

~

Midna was exhausted. She didn’t know how much longer she could keep this up. She was sweaty, and her body was cramped. She begged for anything else. She couldn’t give up the location of the Fused Shadow, but she also couldn’t bear the pain. Each time it got worse. 

“Where is the Fused Shadow?” Midna didn’t respond. She had stopped responding. She was out of breath. She let the shocks continue, unwilling to make a single sound. 

“Where is the Fused Shadow?!” Dustich said. He was getting aggravated, Midna could tell. 

“You know, Zant was about a foot taller-” More pain. Midna closed her eyes and waited for him to ask again, and to be inevitably shocked once more. Instead, she felt hands cup her face.

“Midna, my dear,” Dustich began. She felt a tongue lick her cheek. His hands moved to her temples. 

“You seem tired.” The voice was no longer Dustin’s. She opened her eyes to be face to face with Link. It was an illusion. Midna was versed enough in shadow magic to do the same. “You know what it takes to stop the pain, why don’t you?” The background behind Link was black. She was no longer in the room. Her hands were no longer tied, and she was now standing. 

“Where…” Midna looked around. Dustich was nowhere to be found. She felt a drop on her head, only to be met with the sight she saw almost two months ago. Yveister hanging disemboweled above her. His blood was no longer a drip, instead it was a waterfall. Her body was covered in Twili blood, the stench filling her nose. It took everything not to vomit. 

“Midna?” She heard a voice behind her. She turned to be met with Mali, but her head was missing from her head. She saw the head propped up against the legs. “You could’ve saved me, but you didn’t. You killed us. You killed all of us.” 

Midna ran in the opposite direction. She felt the blood splash under her feet as she ran into the middle of a warzone. Bodies crushed by shadow beasts were everywhere. Her people were groaning in pain, screaming for help. Midna began hyperventilating. She kept running. 

She came across a little girl she recognized as herself, many years ago. 

“This is who I become? A spineless leader who cares more about her own survival than the people she protects?” She said. 

“No,” Midna whispered, looking around. She saw the citizens of the realm swarming her. They were all shouting insults, hatred spewing from their mouths. She was backed into a corner. The voices grew louder. 

“Please…” Midna begged. “Please… I never wanted this!” 

Midna kept begging, but her own voice was drowned out by the screams of the angry people. She felt pain and fear coursing through her. It was like the shocks from earlier, but worse. It was worse than any pain she had ever felt. Midna remembered dying, yet death was more pleasant than this. She couldn’t stand it. She was begging for them to go away, yet they wouldn’t. Tears were flowing down her face. 

A hand was caressing Midna’s face. She struggled to open her eyes, but when she did, she noticed she was back in the stone room. She was no longer in the chair, but was on the floor. Her head was in the lap of Dustich. 

“Now, that was beautiful, to hear you begging me to stop. If you truly want me to stop, all you have to do is tell me what I need to know, and you will never feel pain ever again.” He said, his hand stroking her face. His voice was smooth and melodic. For a moment, Midna relaxed. She felt like she was at home. She could trust him. The next moment, she came to her senses, like coming out of a fog. 

“N-no.” Midna said, her voice airy. It was a struggle to get the words out. She felt like she was betraying her best friend. She let tears flow freely down her cheeks. 

“What a shame,” Dustich tutted disapprovingly. After a pause, he continued. “Well, it's a shame for you. For me, however…” 

Midna felt his hand travel across her breasts. Midna was holding back a sob. 

“The fun is just beginning.” 

~~~~~~~~~

Midna sat in the corner of the stone room. She was cold. She couldn’t sleep. Everytime, she saw the hellscape that was her life for the past… who knows how long. Her thighs were sore, she was sure she was bleeding, but was too afraid to check. After he assaulted her, he took a knife and carved into her hip. He sliced a “D” into her left hip. It had bled a lot, but it was now scabbed over. It burned every time she moved, as it reopened with every movement. 

It was a cycle. He would come in, she would be transported to that hellscape, and then he would ask her the same questions. It was worse each time he did it. It always ended the same way. Midna being soothed by Dustich, and having the same feeling of breaking a promise. She would always be punished the same way for not giving him information. He would assault her. Her head was buried in her knees when she heard voices outside the door. Tears threatened to spill out, but she held them back. She was not afraid, she was Midna. She was strong. She looked up and watched the door open to reveal two hooded figures. One of them was holding a glowing sword. Midna assumed that she was about to die, until the one without the sword took her hood off. 

“Midna!” Mali said, rushing towards her. 

“Mali?” Midna whispered. Mali began unlocking the cuffs. “What are you-” 

“Malarin, I hear guards, we need to get out now.” A male voice said. She looked closer at the sword. She recognized the purple hilt and yellow glow. 

“Here, take my cloak.” Mali said. “Can you stand?” 

“I… Yes, I’m fine.” She slowly stood, her body screaming against it. She put on the cloak. A portal opened on the floor. She didn’t notice Mali helping her move forwards, she was too focused on the mystery man. Right as they stepped into the portal, She remembered the blade, but more importantly, it’s master. 

“Link?” Midna said in disbelief. The man turned around. His blue eyes shone through the twilight. Midna was in shock. Before she could say anything else, the trio were teleporting out of the cell. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Midna was taken hostage by Dustich. He asks her where the Fused Shadow is and she refuses to answer. She is then tortured by him. He used a method where he created an illusion where Midna experienced her worst fears. She came back to reality with her head in his lap. He asks her where the shadow is again. She feels compelled to tell him, as if he was trustworthy and a good friend, but she resist. Dustich then sexually assaults her. 
> 
> Midna is sitting in her cell when she sees two hooded figures. One of them is holding a glowing sword and the other rushes to her. Mali takes off her hood, revealing her identity. She helps Midna up and creates a portal to get them out. The mysterious figure with the sword turns around. Just before they teleport out, Midna recognizes the person as Link.


	6. Chapter Six

Midna didn’t have any memories after entering the portal. She walked into the portal, and the next thing she knew, she was in a bed. She was unsure what room she was, as she had never seen it before, but it was well-lit. She was wearing a nightgown, different than the one she remembered wearing. She sat up, looking around. There were two people talking. One she recognized as a medic, the other she recognized as Link. He wore his signature green tunic and cap with the Master Sword on his back. When she sat up, the two stopped talking and looked at her. The nurse bowed and quickly left the room. The two held eye contact for a moment. 

“How do you feel?” Link said, moving towards the foot of her bed. 

“What do you think?” Midna’s body ached. She felt like death. 

“That good?” Link smirked. Midna let out a small laugh. 

“I couldn’t be better.” Midna laughed darkly. “How long have I been asleep?” 

“A week.” 

“Impossible.” Midna replied. 

“Midna, you were hurt really bad.” 

“No I wasn’t, I…” Midna’s voice died. Memories came flooding back to her. Memories of pain and anguish filled her.

“Midna-” 

“No, I’m fine.” She said, trying to convince herself. She felt a tear roll down her cheek. It felt like she couldn’t breathe. “I’m okay.” 

Midna got out of bed. Her body ached, but she was filled with adrenaline. Her hand flew to her hip as pain radiated out of it.  _ See? You’re fine. You can walk around and move even though he- _

“Midna.” Link said, pulling her back to reality. He was standing in front of her. She didn’t remember him being this tall. He was the same height as her. His hands were on her shoulders. His eyes were filled with concern. 

“Link,” Tears were falling down her face. “I’m sorry. He…”

“It’s okay.” Link insisted. Midna began to sob. She rested her head on his shoulders. They stayed like that for who knows how long. She pulled away. The adrenaline had faded, and now she felt lethargic. She sat down on the bed.

“If you want to talk about it, I’m here.” Link said, sitting next to her. 

“His name is Dustich.” Midna began after a long pause. “He’s a follower of Zant. He wants the Fused Shadow. He knew I had one. He wanted it.” 

“Did you tell him?” 

“No,” Midna shook her head. “I’d die before I told anyone, especially him. He kept asking and asking and asking. I don’t know why, but I really wanted to. I didn’t say anything. It was so bad. I don’t know how else to describe it, it was just bad. He’s not strong, not by any means. He’s weak, full of himself, not even half of a man, but he’s smart. He’s smart and cruel. He relies on magic. That’s why he wants the Fused Shadow. He needs his magic, or he’s just a normal Twili. If we can exploit that fact, we should be able to defeat him easily.” 

“Do all of the Twili have magic?” 

“Sort of. It ranges based on what position you have in society and the training you have. Most of it is given at birth, however. Because of my family, I was trained from a young age. When I gained political power, I gained new abilities. Dustich, he’s relying on training and his natural abilities. The magic he learned, I have never seen.” 

“What kind does he use?” 

“He uses illusions, I think. I saw…” Midna couldn’t continue. What did she see? She saw a hellscape of her worst fears, but she knew it was an illusion. She knew it was fake, but it was so much pain, physical and mental. “He plays with your mind. That’s all I know. He’s good with illusions. Whatever, that doesn’t matter. We need to figure out an attack on his base. We know where it is, we need to move in now, before he makes his next move.” 

“Wait, you just woke up-” Link stopped her. Midna glared at him. 

“I’ve been asleep for a week. We’ve lost so much time. He could be marching to the castle, he could be doing a myriad of things and right now we are sitting ducks.” Midna paused. “Mali. Where is she?” 

“I don’t know, the last time I saw her was when we got you back. She seemed upset.” 

_ “You’re lucky I’m a man of my word or you would be dead by now.”  _ Dustich’s words came back to her. There was a traitor. Who in this realm would trade information that Dustich wanted in order for Midna’s life? There was only one answer that made sense. She felt sick. 

“Can you bring her to me?” Midna said, her voice choked. Link looked confused, but he stood and walked out of the room. Midna located the closet in the room. It seems someone took the liberty of moving her belongings into this room. Her clothes were neatly hung up. She changed into her royal dress and checked her reflection in a mirror on the wall. She looked like shit. There were bags under her eyes and she looked terribly pale. There was a patch on her hip, covering up the wound Dustich gave her. Midna was looking into the mirror when she heard the door open. Through the mirror, she saw Malirin walk into the room followed by Link. 

“Give me one reason I shouldn’t have you executed.” Midna said without turning around. 

“My queen, I-”

“Am I, Malarin?” Midna turned around. “Am I your queen?” 

Silence. Malarin stood looking at the ground. She noticed Link standing awkwardly by the door

“Do you have nothing to say?” 

“He promised me!” Malirin said, tears streaming down her face. She looked at Midna. “He promised he wouldn’t hurt you. He promised he wouldn’t attack our realm.” 

“You believed him?” Midna was furious. 

“Yes, I did! He was so kind and honest. He was telling me the truth!”

“The truth?!” Midna struggled to not yell. “The truth was that he tortured me. He…” Midna’s voice faltered. “He violated me in every possible way, and you believe he was telling the truth?” 

“I did! I believed him. I was a fool, I’m sorry. I saw what he did Yveister and I believed he would do the same, if I didn’t agree.” 

“What did you tell him?” 

“I told him you had a Fused Shadow, and that we had a way into the World of Light.” 

“Did you tell him how?” Midna asked. Mali nodded her head. 

“I couldn’t help it. I don’t know why I did but he asked me and I just said it.” 

“You were my friend.” Midna was fighting tears. “Link, grab the guards.” 

“Midna, please! You don’t understand! I-”

“What don’t I understand? It’s quite cut and dry.” The door opened and guards walked in. “Malarin, you are accused of treason and collaboration with the enemy of the crown. You will stand trial and your fate will be decided. Guards, take her to the dungeons.” Midna turned her back as tears began leaking down her face. She tried her best to ignore the pleas of the woman she once called a friend. Once she heard the door close, she allowed herself to cry. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Midna sat in her room. Well, it wasn’t her room. The royal chambers had been proven to not be secure. She was in a room closer to the center. It was more secure. Midna missed her balcony in moments, but then memories of being drowned in blood would play in her head and she’d be disgusted by the thought of a balcony. Yesterday, she sent Malirin to the dungeons. The thought of her friend being down there made her want to cry, but the betrayal of not only her but her people was too big to ignore. 

Midna spent most of her attempting to sleep. She hadn’t left her room. She couldn’t ignore her duties for much longer however. She was the queen, and she needed to return to her post. Link had attempted to comfort her, but she sent him away. She needed to be alone. 

Malarin was to go on trial today, as was tradition. At least, that’s what she learned in her studies. It was disrespectful for a member of the Royal Party to spend more than a day in the dungeons, regardless of guilt. She had never needed to have someone so close to her go on trial, but there was a first time for everything. 

Midna dreaded leaving her room. She dreaded the stares of her people. She once believed the people loved her, but this is the second time she has abandoned them. What would they think? 

She didn’t have a choice in the matter. She took a deep breath and went to the mirror. She still had circles under her eyes, but they weren't noticeable unless you were standing close to her. She looked at her hip. The scar was, thankfully, fully covered by her skirt. After adjusting her crown and ensuring her royal robes were on correctly, she walked out of her room. She saw Link outside of her room. 

“Do I need to bow?” Link said, giving a small smile. 

“Hush, Hylian.” Midna smirked back. She appreciated Link. He could cheer her up. 

Together they walked to the throne room. Outside the throne room, she paused. Her people were in there. All eyes were about to be on her. She was going to be the center of attention. 

“Link, if you’re going to stand in, go in now.” Link nodded and entered the room. Midna waited about a minute. It was as if her feet were stuck in place. After taking a deep breath, Midna pushed the doors open. The people inside turned to look at her. She did her best to ignore them as she walked to her throne. As she sat down, she looked around the room. She found Link in the back corner, silently encouraging her. She was almost confident until the doors opened again. In walked her former friend, Malirin. She was in cuffs. Her heart was pounding as Malirin bowed in front of the throne. 

“Malirin, you stand accused of treason, betrayal of the throne and those guided by it. You conversed with the enemy against the wishes of the throne. How do you plead?” 

“Not guilty.” Malirin said, still kneeling in front of the throne. Whispers were heard among the gallery. 

“Not guilty? You are aware of the evidence, which includes a confession, against you?” Midna was nervous. She thought this would be a clean case. 

“I am aware. I demand a Trial by Memory.” The room went dead silent. Even the most sheltered Twili knew of the Trial by Memory. The very thought of one was enough to scare even the bravest warriors. Death was a better fate. 

“I will not allow this.” 

“I am a citizen of this kingdom, and as a citizen, I am granted the right to a Trial by Memory.” 

“Malarin…” Midna whispered. “Are you insane?” 

“Maybe.” She looked at Midna and gave a small smirk. Midna felt a pang in her heart. This was the woman she knew. Brave, stubborn and cheeky, not a traitor.

“There will be a Trial by Memory. You are aware that this trial, regardless of guilt, may result in your death?” Midna was gripping the throne tightly. 

“I am.” 

“Then it shall be. Guards, take her back to the dungeons and prepare her for the trial.” 

The guards took her out and she rose from the throne and headed to the nearest room, the war room. She walked in and shut the door. She felt like she was going to vomit. She hunched over the table when she heard the door open. 

“Leave.” Midna said, not looking up. 

“No.” Midna turned around, furious, she was going to yell at the person for disobeying the orders of the queen when she saw who it was. Link was staring back at her. “What’s going on?”

“Malirin has requested a Trial by Memory.” Midna turned back around, leaning back over the table. 

“What does that mean? And why did everyone panic?” 

“The Trial by Memory is an ancient tradition, dating back to the times of the Interlopers. The trial forces you to drink pure twilight. To a Hylian, it would mean instant death, painless and quick. To a Twili, it’s like drinking...I don’t know. Lava? The pools of liquid in the Goron Mines. It burns the very core of your being. The chances of surviving the initial consumption are slim, but if you survive, the next hour is like eternal torment. Every past sin or mistake comes back to haunt you. 

“After an hour, I’ll have to go into her mind, read her memories. This is where the trial gets its name. The twilight weakens the barrier in front of the mind to the point where it can be read. If you survive and prove yourself innocent, your name will be completely wiped clean.” 

Link was silent. Midna didn’t dare look at him. She was close to tears. She wanted to tell Malirin that she would not move forward with the trial, but doing so would cast doubt on her as a leader and lead to an even worse scenario. 

“When will it happen?” Link asked. They both froze as they heard a faint scream echo through the castle. 

“I must return to my chambers. That’s where they’ll be looking for me.”


	8. Chapter Eight

An hour had passed. Midna hadn’t heard any more screams from Malirin. This would’ve made her glad, if she wasn’t concerned that she didn’t make it through drinking the twilight. She heard a knock on her door. She took a deep breath and opened the door. Two guards were standing outside, ready to escort her. 

Once they got to the dungeons, she was greeted with an awful sight. The castle doctor was standing watching the scene. He looked extremely pale. Midna looked at him. They shared a look of understanding. She looked inside the cell. Malirin was in the corner, shaking. Midna took a deep breath. 

“A moment of privacy,” Midna said, her eyes not leaving the tortured girl. “Please.” 

Once the others had left, Midna entered the cell. Malirin didn’t look up or acknowledge her entrance. 

“Mali,” Midna said, placing a hand on the girl’s head. She lifted her chin up. Mali’s eyes were bloodshot and her face had claw marks that were bloody. 

“Please,” Mali whispered. “Just do it.” 

Midna blinked back tears and placed her hands on her temple. 

~~~~

Midna was in bed. She was peacefully sleeping until she heard someone whisper in her ear. She opened her eyes. She started to scream, but a hand was placed over her mouth. She looked up to see a man standing over her. She was frozen in fear. 

“Hello, Malarin.” The man said. “I have a request for you.” 

Midna tried to scream, but couldn’t. He was stroking her face. Midna felt her body relax. Her breathing calmed. She felt like she could trust him. 

“Tell me what I need to know, and I won’t hurt your kingdom. Your queen will live. Don’t tell me, and I will have her and her people slaughtered.” Midna could no longer move. She was in a dazed state. 

“What do you need to know?” Midna felt herself say. 

“Where are the Fused Shadows?” 

“I don’t know. Midna knows.” She couldn’t stop herself from talking. She was screaming at herself to stop, but she couldn’t. 

“Now, where is the Mirror of Twilight?” 

“Broken.” Midna felt a tear roll down her cheek. 

“How do I get to the world of light?” 

“Arych is looking for a way.” 

“You’re doing so good,” Dustich said. He kept stroking her face. He leaned in and kissed her. Midna wanted to vomit. He raised a knife to her. “The more information, the better reward you get.” 

Midna felt her eyes close. When she opened them, it was morning. She got out of bed and immediately fell to the floor. She looked down to see a large D on her stomach. It looked like it had bled heavily, but it was now just crusted blood. Midna looked at her hand, which was covered in blood and began to silently sob.

~~~~

Midna opened her eyes. After a moment, her senses returned. She was back in the cell, her hands on Mali’s head. She was in shock. She removed her hands. Mali was sobbing. 

“I’m sorry! I couldn’t help it!” She cried. “Please you have to believe me!” 

Midna had tears streaming down her face. “I believe you, Mali.” 

Midna embraced Mali, holding her in her arms. Mali continued to sob loudly. Her head was buried in Midna’s shoulder. Midna stayed with her trying to comfort her. Suddenly, Mali stopped crying. Mali was suddenly quiet. Midna was about to panic when she noticed Mali’s eyes were slowly opening. They weren’t as bloodshot as before. 

“I-is it over?” She asked, her voice hoarse. 

“It’s over.” Midna said, wiping the tears off Mali’s face. “You did it.” 

“I didn’t want to tell him, I really-” 

“I know. I saw everything.” 

“I knew what he was capable of, but I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want to admit that he used me so easily.” 

“I understand.” Mali nodded. Her eyes slowly closed. Midna called for guards to take her to her room. After the guards came and grabbed her, Midna sat in the cell in shock. Midna made a mental note to ban the Trial by Memory. 

  
  



	9. Chapter Nine

Midna sat on her bed. Mali was visited by doctors, who predicted she wouldn’t wake for at least three days. It was commonly seen after the trial. Link was sitting with her, acting as a metaphorical shoulder to cry on. 

“I fucked up.” Midna said. Link shrugged.

“You made the best decision with the information available to you.” 

“Which was insufficient.” Midna put her head in her hands. “I knew he was capable. He tried to do the same thing to me, but instead of offering something I wanted, he was just offering to not torture me. He offered her something she truly wanted, which was my safety.” Midna paused. “He’ll be going to Hyrule soon. I’d like to stay with Mali, but we need to get those Fused Shadows.” Link nodded. 

“Agreed. We should leave sooner than later. Do you know where they are?”

“No, I was going to ask Zelda. I was assuming they’d be hidden in the places they were originally, but I’m not sure. We should go tomorrow. We need to get to them before he does.” 

“Alright,” Link said. The pair was silent for a moment, both thinking about the days to come. Would it be like old times? Or would it be different because of everything that happened?

“What have you been up to?” Midna asked him. “Did you become a knight?”

“No.” 

“What?” Midna looked at him in disbelief. “You pulled the blade that can only belong to one person who has a pure heart, and you decide that you weren’t going to use it.” 

“Yep.” 

“You’re an idiot.” 

“No, I’m smart. I’m not dying in battles that mean nothing.” 

“Nothing? Protecting the princess doesn’t seem like nothing.” 

“Until now, there was no need. The princess has far more experienced soldiers on her personal guard. I wanted a life where I could have an impact. I’ve made my impact, now I just want to live.” 

“Hmm, I guess that’s true.” Midna agreed. “I used to hate being queen because of how boring it was. I missed our adventures. I missed…” Midna paused. “Now I’d give anything to go back to boring. A world where this never happened. A world where if we were to meet, it would be under good circumstances.” 

“Agreed. I found myself wishing for something to happen, but now I wish I was still in Ordon.” 

“You just said you didn’t want battles.” 

“I said  _ meaningless _ battles. Battles that didn’t have a purpose. I miss traveling through Hyrule with you. I don’t miss being a wolf, however. It was useful, but it fucking sucked.” 

“I thought it was entertaining.” Midna laughed a bit. Link smirked.

“I’m glad someone enjoyed it.” Link smiled. The two made eye contact. There were so many things that hadn’t been said. Both wanted to say so much, but neither wanted to make the first move. 

“You know, the day you broke the Mirror, you could’ve told me you were going to do that.” 

“No, I couldn’t have. You would’ve stopped me.” 

“I definitely would have tried.” Link said. “I thought I was going to see you after that. I didn’t think it was goodbye.” 

“I didn’t either, to be honest, but I knew it needed to happen. The dangers it presented were more than the amount it hurt both of us.” 

“That’s fair.” Link looked at the floor. “I had a list of things I wanted to say to you if I ever saw you again.”

“Say them.” Midna looked at him. If it wasn’t for Mali, Link would be her best friend and most trusted ally. It took a lot to gain Midna’s trust, but saving her kingdom may have managed to do that. 

“I’ve forgotten.” Link gave a goofy smile. 

“You’re so stupid,” Midna laughed. Link laughed along with her. 

“Shut up. You know you love me.” Midna smiled

“I do,” Midna said, after her laughter died. She looked at the Hylian. “I care about you, Link. I can’t thank you enough for how much you’ve done for me and my people.” 

“If it wasn’t for you, my family would still be in twilight and I’d be stuck as a wolf for the rest of time.” Link looked back at her. “I think the feeling’s mutual.” 

Midna blushed and looked away. Midna’s eyes focused on the wall. 

“Maybe after this war is over, we can talk more.” 

“Ale at my place? Have a real conversation, no stress.” 

“Ale?” Midna looked at him confused. 

“Yeah, ale.” Midna stared back with a confused expression.

“I’ve never heard of it.” Link smirked.

“I guess I’ll have the pleasure of introducing you to it.” 

“I’d love that.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From this point on, the warnings of referenced non-con will be heavily in play. If you don't feel comfortable reading that subject, please don't read this story. 
> 
> <3

Midna was sitting in the stone room. 

Her body was in excruciating pain. She was being shocked over and over again without stopping. 

“Please, I’ve told you everything I know!” 

“I know you have.” Dustich said. The next thing Midna knew, she was on the floor. She tried to stand, but he was holding her down. She tried calling for help, but she couldn’t make any sound. She felt his hands on her waist before she felt the pain of him violating her before shooting awake. 

Midna was in a cold sweat. She looked around the room. There was no one in here. It was just her. Her dreams felt so real. She got out of bed. She could still feel the pain from her dream. Her hip burned just like it did when it was first sliced into. She knew it wasn’t real, but why did it feel like it was? Midna heard a knock on the door. She wiped her brow before walking to the door. She grabbed her robe on the chair before opening the door. 

Outside the door was Link. Midna quickly pulled him inside and closed the door. “What are you doing?” Midna asked. “You can’t just appear outside my door, people will talk.” 

“People do little less.” 

“You still can’t do that.” 

“Yes, I can.” 

“Says who?” 

“Me.” Midna was stunned into shock for a moment before she let out a small laugh. Midna tried to relax a little bit. She knew she was wound up. 

“I’m sorry, I…” She said, rubbing her eyes.

“Had a bad dream?” Midna looked at him.

“How’d you know?” 

“I’m right next door.” Midna looked away. Had she screamed? She remembered trying to scream for help, she must’ve actually screamed. 

“It was a bad dream.” Midna walked over and sat on her bed. Link joined her.

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

“There wasn’t much. It was the room.” Link nodded, understanding. 

“You never told me what happened in there...I mean, you don’t have to, but-” 

“No, I understand. I’ve had difficulty trying to figure out what happened myself. He tortured me for information. He started by electrocuting me, but that didn’t work. He was angry because I wasn’t making any noise. I wasn’t screaming. He then did this thing where he went inside my head and created a hellscape. It was all a blur, he did it so much, but everytime, I remember screaming and begging for him to stop. After the first time, he comforted me, and told me he’d stop if I told him what he wanted to know. I said no and he said, ‘what a shame for you.’” Midna felt a tear fall off her face. “He said the fun’s only beginning for me. He started touching me. He told me how much he liked it when I begged. And then he…” Midna had trouble even admitting it in her head, but it needed to be said. “Then he raped me.” As soon as those words left her mouth, Midna thought the urge to puke or cry or run would appear. Instead, she felt a bit lighter, like a load was taken off her chest. “He raped me, and I did nothing to stop him.” 

“Midna, I…” Link started. Her was looking at the ground, his brows furrowed. “I promised I would make sure you were safe behind castle walls, then I would return to Ordon. I didn’t want to pick up the sword. But now I swear to you I will track this sack of shit to the ends of the world and ensure he dies a painful death.” 

“I have a few ideas of my own.” Midna laughed darkly. She wiped her eyes. 

The two sat in silence for a moment, enjoying each other's presence. Midna yawned. She dreaded the thought of going back to sleep, only to be plagued with more nightmares. 

“We both need sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow.” Link said, stifling a yawn. Midna nodded. Link stood and started to head out of the room. 

“Wait,” Midna called. Link was almost to the door. Midna hated herself for asking this. It felt so cliche. “Stay.” 

Link paused. “Are you sure? I’m not exactly fully clothed.” 

“I’m not either.” Midna said. “Please.” 

Link hesitated before walking over to the opposite side of the bed. Midna was taking off her robe while he walked over. She slipped under the covers. Link slid under the covers, keeping his distance. Midna scooted closer to him. He was warm. Her head was on his chest. She felt his arm on her back. She tensed at first, but then relaxed into it. 

“Thank you.” Midna whispered. She was unsure if Link heard her or not, as he didn’t respond. Midna’s eyes slowly closed before fading to darkness. 

Midna woke up before Link did, as usual. Hylians needed so much more sleep than Twili. Granted, she’s never seen another Hylian sleep, but she assumed that the Twili were just inherently superior in that regard. She slowly slid off his chest, not wanting to wake him. She walked over to her closet to change into her regular dress. She slipped her nightgown off and grabbed her shirt and skirt. She put the skirt on first, then the shirt. As she was slipping her shirt on, Link woke up. He opened his eyes, his face went red, and he rolled back over. Midna finished putting her shirt on. She was slipping on her robes when Link peeked back over. He sat up, his face red. 

“What’s the problem?” Midna said, referring to his red face. 

“I-I wasn’t expecting to see you change.” Midna’s brain finally clicked. 

“That’s right,” Midna sighed. “Hylians and their ‘modesty.’ I’m looking at your chest right now and there’s no problem. What’s so different about mine?” 

Link just rolled his eyes and laughed. He was getting out of bed when he paused. “My shirt’s in my room.” he groaned. It was Midna’s turn to roll her eyes. She gave him a small smirk before walking to the door. She left her room and walked down the hall. She entered the next room. She saw Link’s green armour in the closet. She grabbed the hanger and boots below. She hesitated for a second as she looked at the Master Sword. She tried to pick up the blade, but was met with a burning sensation on her hand. She immediately pulled away. 

_ Figures, _ Midna thought. The blade was one the one that repelled darkness. Only the chosen hero could wield it. Midna left the sword behind and walked back to her room. Once she was inside, Link smiled at her and grabbed his things. 

~~~~~

The two were in the laboratory. The portal was opened. They were staring at the sandy dunes of the Gerudo Desert. Midna knew once they went through, they wouldn’t be going back for a long time. Midna and Link looked at each other before stepping through the portal. Midna expected it to be blisteringly hot, but the dusk provided a cool breeze. It was almost calming, if it wasn’t for the circumstances, Midna would feel relaxed. 

“We need to warp to Hyrule Field.” Midna looked at him, gauging his reaction. Link started to nod before groaning. 

“Do I have to be a wolf?” He asked, annoyed. 

“Yes,” Midna conjured the piece of shadow magic Zant had given them. In full honesty, turning him into a wolf wasn’t necessary, but it was far easier, and Midna wanted to save her strength for the trials to come. Link hesitated before touching it. He was engulfed in shadows before he emerged as a wolf. Midna smirked at him before using her magic to warp to Hyrule Field.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Once they got to Hyrule, Link immediately requested to turn back into a human. 

“I hate that so much,” He griped. Midna couldn’t help but laugh. Link glared at her, but smirked himself. Midna looked ahead to the large town. 

“Link, if you don’t mind, I’d like to stay in your shadow. I don’t want to cause a ruckus.” Link nodded, understanding. Midna sank into his shadow. She could still see everything that happened, but she couldn’t be seen. Midna watched as Link entered Castletown. He made a beeline through the crowds to the entrance of the castle. He was stopped by the knights at the front doors. 

“Ho! What business do you have with the castle?” One knight said. 

“Jarvis, you dunce, look at his tunic!” The other knight elbowed Jarvis. 

“My apologies, Sir. You may enter.” Both of the knights stepped aside and opened the doors. Link walked into the castle. The entrance was just as majestic as she remembered it being when she left. Jarvis, the knight from the doors, escorted Link to the throne room. Princess Zelda was sitting on the throne, talking to a man who looked like a general. As soon as Link walked in, she stopped speaking. She said something to the general who immediately left. The knights in the room followed him, leaving only her and Link. Link bowed to the princess before speaking. 

“I have news.” Zelda nodded. She rose from her throne and motioned for Link to follow her. She went into a room behind the throne. Link followed her in there, closing the door behind him. 

“What news do you have?” She asked. Midna took this chance to reveal herself, emerging from Link’s shadow. A look of surprise flashed across Zelda’s face. “Midna.” 

“Princess Zelda,” Midna held her posture. “It’s been a moment.” 

“Queen,” Zelda corrected. “It seems you missed my coronation.” 

“Congratulations,” Midna smiled. She gave a small bow “Welcome to the big girl’s club.” 

“Thank you,” Zelda returned the smile. “Now, back to business. What news do you bring?” 

“The leader of the cult, his name is Dustich,” Link said.

“How much of a threat does he pose?” 

“He’s very bold.” Midna spoke up. “He’s not afraid to make daring plays.” Zelda pursed her lips, thinking. 

“He’s after the Fused Shadow. We need to get to them first.” Link continued.

“Midna, do you still possess your piece?” Zelda looked at her. Midna nodded. “Good. The remaining pieces are in the temple hidden by the forest, in the tunnels of ice, and the desert cave.

“The temple is the Sacred Grove and the tunnels of ice are somewhere in Snowpeak, but a desert cave? The Cave of Ordeals?” Link frowned. “Why?” 

“Each of the locations are a test designed by the goddesses. The temple hidden by the forest is a test of wisdom, in the home of evil is a test of courage, and the desert cave is a test of power. If you can prove yourself worthy in all regards, then you are worthy of the power the Fused Shadow.” 

“Great.” Midna remembered the cave. It was insanely difficult. There was no room for a break, and it lasted for far too long. Midna swore to herself she wouldn’t go back in there, but now she was forced to. 

“You both are welcome to stay the night and leave in the morning if you wish. I don’t recommend traveling in Hyrule Field at night.” Midna was hesitant to say yes, but her royal instincts kicked in. 

“Thank you. We appreciate your hospitality.” 

“I’ll have my guards escort you to your chambers.” Zelda said. “I wish you luck on your travels.” 

~~~~~

Midna couldn’t sleep. The room she was in had a window, allowing her to look at the sleeping town. She wasn’t tired in the slightest sense. She was still dressed in her royal robes, almost as a refusal to sleep. She knew she should rest her eyes, but she simply didn’t want to. She considered going next door to where Link was sleeping, but she was positive the guards would stop her. She let herself be content with looking at the sleeping town. She tried to think about her plan moving forwards. They would get the Fused Shadow and then they would go back to the twilight realm to defeat Dustich. Then Midna would go home and sleep. 

It sounded like a solid plan. Midna touched the window. It was made of clear glass, a material that the Twili didn’t have. The twilight world had glass, but it was black, as the sand they made it from was black. It wasn’t nearly as transparent. Maybe instead of just going home, she would try to strike a trade deal between the Hylians. The Hylians had materials like iron, glass, plants for healing, and a litany of things the Twili didn’t. The reverse was true for the Hylians. Electricity, magic, healing items, and many more things. The Reverter Arych was working on, for example, would be unheard of. 

Midna continued to think about the possibilities when she felt the castle shake. She turned around. A picture had fallen off the wall, the glass protecting it flying everywhere. She took another step when she heard bells begin to ring. She opened the door to her room, stepping outside. She heard guards begin to rally. She heard a deafening roar coming from her left. A shadow beast was blocking her path out of the castle. Midna conjured a spear and threw it through the beast. She went the opposite direction of the beast, looking for Link. She ran down the halls. Midna heard the shouts of guards. She kept moving, skirting past shadow beasts. She kept moving until she was in a familiar room. It was the room that connected the dungeons with the castle. In this room were four shadow beasts. 

Midna conjured another spear. She readied herself as the beasts approached. She wasn’t a fighter. She was a queen. She knew how to conjure weapons, but she had never been formally trained to fight with one. All fighting she did was what she had seen others do. 

The first beast lunged at her. She wacked it to the side with her spear. She turned around to be met with another beast. She used her telekinesis to lift it and throw it at the others. She wasn’t expecting it to be so heavy. She looked back to the first beast, which had regained its footing. She readied her spear, preparing for it to charge. As it leaped at her, she plunged the spear through it, causing it to fall to the ground. She conjured another spear and threw it at one that was getting back up. She was suddenly in the air. A shadow beast had swiped her side, throwing her against a brick wall. She slammed her head. Her vision went black for a quick second. When her vision came back, she saw a series of events. 

Midna saw one of the remaining shadow beasts jump in the air. Someone stepped in front of her and she saw a bright blinding light. She had to shield her eyes from the flash. As soon as it was over, she looked around and saw the shadow beasts thrown against the wall, no longer moving. She moved her eyes to the person that had stepped in front of her. 

Link stood in front of her. On the back of his hand, two triangles were glowing. Midna slowly got to her feet.

“What the fuck did you just do?” Midna said. Link grabbed her arm. They heard a shrill roar. 

“He’s here, we need to get out now.” Link said, pulling her out of the room. The two were running through the halls. There was a horde of beasts behind them. They ran as fast as they could. At the end of the hall in front of them, more beasts appeared. 

“Don’t stop running!” Midna shouted. She held her hand out and created a portal. The pair ran full speed into the portal. As soon as they were through, she closed it so the beasts couldn’t get through. 

The two were teleported out of the castle. It was black for a second, then they appeared in Hyrule Field. The portal spit them out in the air. They fell to the ground, landing in mud. Midna looked back at the castle. The sun was rising, bells were ringing and she could hear distant screams. She stood, watching the castle be shrouded in darkness. She could only imagine the pain Zelda was going through. Watching your kingdom fall was an awful feeling, especially when you were helpless to stop it. Midna looked at Link. His hand had stopped glowing. 

“What happened back there?” Midna asked. “You put your hand up and you-” 

“I know.” Link said. “I know what happened.” 

“Do you care to explain?” 

“We need to get moving. I’ll explain on the way to the Grove.” 


	12. Chapter Twelve

_ Link was riding on Epona. He was being chased by Bulblin riders. He was about to shoot an arrow when he was slammed into. He flew off Epona and hit the ground. He saw a Bublin about to trample him. He put his hand up and closed his eyes. He heard the scream of a Bulblin. He opened his eyes. The Bublin was thrown backwards. On his hand were two glowing triangles. He didn’t have time to think about what just happened. He hopped back on Epona and took out the remaining riders. Once they were dead, Link quickly rode away, wanting to get home as fast as possible.  _

_ Link was riding through Ordon. He was so focused on getting home, he almost didn’t hear a voice calling his name. The voice was coming from the Ordon springs. He dismounted Epona and walked into the spring. He saw the spirit of Ordona above the water.  _

_ “Link, you have discovered a power unbeknownst to Hylians.” Link looked at his hand. The top triangle was glowing. “You have obtained the Triforce of Power.”  _

_ “What does it do?” Link asked.  _

_ “I am unsure. Ganondorf used it for dark magic, magic that I pray you don’t aim to use. The power of light is uncharted territory. But be careful, all magic has an equal exchange. Please use it responsibly.” _

_ With that, the spirit disappeared. Link walked away, processing this information. He mounted Epona and rode home.  _

_ ~~~~~ _

_ It had been around a week since Link got home. He was outside, staring at the training dummy outside his home. It was nighttime. He didn’t want to be caught doing this. The amount of explaining he’d have to do was more than he cared to.  _

_ He tried to focus. When it happened the first time, he wasn’t sure what he did to make it happen. He raised his hand and imagined the dummy flying backwards. It took a few tries, but eventually he got it. He was able to raise his hand and blast the dummy back. He was in awe of what he could do. It felt so good.  _

_ Every night for the next week, Link would do the same thing until he became tired. He kept a journal of all the things he was able to accomplish. Soon, he was able to conjure balls of light and launch them off his blade.  _

_ After a month of using his powers, he decided to venture to Hyrule field. It was the dead of night, so there were sure to be enemies out. He came across a horde of bokoblins. With a single raise of his hand, they were thrown back. A few were able to stand back up, but he sent them flying with a flick of his hand.  _

_ That night was when things began to change. Link started thinking of the things he could do. He could overthrow the palace. He could take control of this realm. He could take control of all the realms. He could do so many things with his new found power.  _

_ Link was walking past the Ordon spring when he heard his name called. He walked into the spring to be faced with Ordona.  _

_ “What?” he asked, annoyed. He wanted to fight, not talk.  _

_ “Link, you are moving down the wrong path.” Ordona said. “You’ve changed.” Link looked at his hand.  _

_ “I’m stronger than I’ve ever been. This is the best I’ve ever felt.”  _

_ “Yet you wish to destroy the kingdom you previously risked your life to save. Please,” Link’s world started to fade to black. “Heed my warning.”  _

_ ~~~~~~~ _

_ Link watched as a young boy was running around in the sand. He was laughing and having fun. Out of nowhere, a Stalfos appeared and was about to strike the boy down. The boy raised his hand at the last moment and, in an all to familiar fashion, blew the enemy away, killing it instantly.  _

_ Link was taken to a different scene. The boy was older. He was seeking fights now, looking to use his powers. A woman tried to stop him, but he looked at her, she slowly turned into sand. The man looked at the dune, a smile growing.  _

_ The next thing he knew, Link was watching a town burn. Everything was on fire, and the man from before was laughing. Figures rose around him, people he recognized as the Sages from Arbiter’s Grounds.  _

_ Link knew what he was watching. He was watching the origins of Ganondorf. His world turned back into the Ordon springs. He dropped to his knees. He was becoming a monster.  _

_ He stopped looking for battles. He swore off fighting unless necessary. From that day on, the thoughts were merely invaders in his mind. _

~~~~~~

“You were considering destroying Hyrule?” 

Midna and Link were walking to the grove. They were about to enter Faron. 

“Yes, but I promise you, it wasn’t me.” Link said. “I was a different person.” 

“You must’ve done a full 180, going from saving it to destroying it.” Link nodded. 

“It took a lot of time, but I was able to get those thoughts out of my head for the most part.” 

“For the most part?”

“It never truly goes away. I will always have love for battles. I will always want to go on an adventure. I will always want the rush you get when defeating an enemy, but I can’t.” 

Midna nodded. Link looked at his hand. He wanted to use them so badly. Maybe he could try again? Maybe he could learn to use his powers for good. It was dangerous, but on this quest, he may need them. Link believed everything happens for a reason, maybe this is why he got these powers, to save the world (again). 

~~~

The two arrived in Faron. The sun had just set and the moon lit their path. Midna has suggested stopping for the day. Link couldn’t help but agree. They made camp at the base of a large oak. Midna was leaning against the trunk of the tree and Link was on his back, staring at the stars.

“Just like old times.” Midna said, looking at the stars. Link smirked. 

“Yeah,” Link agreed. Midna slid down to look at the stars with Link. “The sounds of the forest...I will never get used to how beautiful Faron is.” 

“For me it’s those stars….The Hylian sky at night is so much more beautiful. The twilight is gorgeous, but the twinkling lights in the sky are mesmerizing.” 

The two sat in silence, watching the sky and listening to the insects chirp. Midna moved her head so it was on Link’s chest. It was reminiscent of the last night they shared in the castle. Link was surprised that Midna would be comfortable with that, but he didn’t say anything. 

“Do I make you uncomfortable?” Midna asked. Link felt as if she could read minds. 

“No, not at all.” He replied, placing his hand on her back. 

“Link, I…” Midna began. “Thank you.” 


	13. Chapter 13

Midna suddenly woke up. She had dreamed about the room again. She felt her heart pound as adrenaline coursed through her. She heard a slow steady beat underneath her. It was rhythmic. She sat there listening to it. Slowly, she began to calm down. It was almost peaceful. The sun was rising, turning the sky a beautiful mix of purples and oranges. She felt as if she could stay in this moment forever, and be happy. 

But they had a world to save and a tyrant to kill. She didn’t move until the sun had finished rising. She felt a hand move from her back to her shoulder. She flinched at the movement, not expecting Link to be awake. 

“Good morning,” Link said, his voice groggy. 

“Good morning.” Midna replied back. She lifted her head up, moving away from Link. stretched her arms before rubbing her eyes. “We should start moving.” 

~~~~~~

Midna and Link had reached the Sacred Grove. The first entrance was unsealed. They walked through the first entrance. Midna looked around for the Skull Kid, but he was nowhere to be found. The pair kept walking through the forest. Midna kept looking around. She felt as if eyes were on her. 

She was so focused on that feeling, she almost ran into a Howl Stone. She frowned. She looked around at the room. It was the first room they walked into, except this time instead of an entrance, it was blocked off by thick vines. 

“We’re trapped.” Midna sighed. Link walked towards the vines. He tried to use his sword to cut the vines, but the blade merely bounced off of it. Link sheathed his sword. Midna looked around. She suddenly came to a realization.

“Link, wait,” Midna said, looking around. “I think this is a maze.” 

“What?” 

“It’s a maze. This is the first room we walked into. We just went in a full circle.” Midna saw a black shadow above them. It was only for a moment, it ran across her vision. 

Link bent down to the ground. He covered his hand in mud and wiped it on the wall. “We can mark off the paths. Come on, let’s go.” 

~~~

They were making no progress. The maze was intricate, with multiple splitting paths. Midna suggested sticking to the right wall, but that hadn’t worked. 

The pair were walking along, Link leading the way. Midna still couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. Link kept marking off pathways, and every once in a while, they’d come across a handprint. It was infuriating. Each time they came across one, it meant they had gone in a circle. 

They started walking through a new pathway when the ground began to shake. The ceiling began to collapse. Midna fell backwards to avoid the falling debris. When the ground stopped shaking, she looked up. Link was nowhere to be found. 

“Link?” She called out, looking for the Hylian. 

“I’m okay!” She heard him call from behind the debris. The passage was completely blocked. “You?”

“I’m fine,” Midna said. She stood, brushing dust off of her outfit. “Try to make your way to the front room, I’ll meet back with you there.” 

“See you there.” 

Midna began walking. The feeling of being watched intensified. She kept looking over her shoulder. She saw a light in a tunnel up ahead. She sprinted towards it. It kept disappearing and reappearing in a different tunnel. She soon ran out of breath, her chest heaving. She heard leaves crunching behind her. She turned around and saw Link. 

“You scared me,” Midna said. 

“Sorry,” He said, smirking. “Did you see that light?” He asked. 

“Yeah, I was trying to catch it, but it's way faster than me.” She had recovered her breath. She pointed to where she last saw the light. “It went this way.” 

The pair began walking. Midna still had that feeling of being watched, but it felt like they were just behind her. She wanted to mention it to Link, but it wasn’t important. What was important was finding the shadow. 

“This forest...Why would it be here?” Link said, sounding bored. “Since when was anything useful in these woods?” 

Midna was confused. “What do you mean?” 

“I don’t know...I just get the creeps about this place.” Midna couldn’t help but agree. 

~~~~

“Let’s take a break, chill for a bit.” 

The two had been walking for what seemed like hours when Link suggested to take a break. They had made another full circle, coming back to the entrance. They sat down near the torches. 

“I hate all this walking.” Link said. Midna nodded. Her feet were burning. She was thankful for the break. 

“I do too.” She replied. She put her hands in the water. It was so relaxing. The sounds of the stream reminded her about this morning. She was about to ask him something, but he spoke first.

“This maze is stupid, too. What’s the point of it?” He sounded frustrated. 

“It’s a test of wisdom.” 

“For what? A Fused Shadow?” He said. “It’s not even a true test. If it was a true test, the corridors wouldn’t be changing all the time.” 

“You have to be smart enough to figure it out.” 

“What’s the point though? No one’s smart enough to be able to get through all of this. We should just leave.” Midna frowned. 

“You know we can’t do that. Zelda-” 

“Fuck Zelda!” He retorted. “Fuck Zelda and fuck this stupid shit. We should leave.”

Midna couldn’t help but agree with him. They had been in this maze for hours and had made no progress. 

“We can’t do that. We need the Fused Shadow!” Link was acting so weird. Midna stood and started walking. She felt Link grab her hand. She turned around. He was gripping her so tight. 

“We don’t need it. We can leave here. It could be us. Fuck Hyrule, fuck Zelda, fuck everything and everybody that isn’t us.” Midna tried to shake his grip. He was starting to scare her. 

“What the fuck has gotten into you?! We can’t leave without the shadow!” 

“Yes, we can!” Link was almost yelling at this point. His nails were digging into her forearm. 

“No, we-” Midna was cut off by Link grabbing her face and kissing her. Flashbacks of Dustich forcing himself on her ran through her mind. She immediately recoiled. This wasn’t Link. Link wouldn’t be so shitty to do that, especially after everything that’s happened. 

“Midna, I love you, and I want to be with you,” He looked into her eyes. “Please, come with me and let's leave.” The confession would’ve made her heart pound, if it wasn’t for the manner in which he said it. Midna did have strong feelings for Link, but she would never abandon Hyrule for love, and neither would Link. 

“Get away from me.” Her voice was shaking. Link didn’t move. 

“No, not until you agree to leave this place and get out of this stupid forest.” Midna felt something click in her brain. 

“Why the forest?” 

“Midna, you know I hate the forest.” Midna stared into his eyes. Last night, Link said he loved Faron because of how beautiful it was. This wasn’t Link. She was almost certain of the fact, but she needed to be sure. 

“Fine, we can go.” Midna said. “But the way out is blocked by vines.” 

“We can cut through them.” Midna looked to the entrance. The vines were thick, 

“Let me see your sword.” Midna said. 

“Why?” 

“Just trust me. Let me test to see if this works, then we’ll leave.” Link rolled his eyes, but he handed over the Master Sword. Midna tried not to hesitate before holding it. If it was the true Master Sword, she wouldn’t be able to hold it, as no darkness could touch the blade. The last time she held it, she was burned. She grabbed onto the hilt, half-expecting to be burned. When the burn didn’t come, she knew this Link wasn’t real. She moved to the wall and tested a vine. The sword sliced through it with ease. The vines started to unravel. Midna backed away from the falling vines. 

“Great, that works, can we leave now?” “Link” asked, impatient. Midna nodded. 

“Sure.” She turned to Link who was already walking out the entrance, his back turned to her. She took a deep breath before running the sword through his chest, directly through his heart. She pulled the sword out, now covered in blood. She dropped the sword on the ground. The imposter fell backwards, landing at Midna’s feet. 

“Midna,” he said, blood dripping out of his mouth. “Why?”

Midna watched wordlessly as the life drained out of his eyes. When he was dead, his body disappeared, turning into a glowing light, the same light he was chasing earlier. It flew into a wall, creating a new doorway. Above the doorway, she saw the symbol of the Goddesses and a triforce glowing. She slowly walked into the room. 

It was a room akin to the room Link pulled the Master Sword from. There was fog on the ground, the room was dark except for a single light shining on the center of the room where the piece of the Fused Shadow resided. Midna stepped forwards and grabbed the Fused Shadow. The fog moved away and the room allowed sunlight to come in. 

_ You have done well to pass this trial,  _ a voice rang out.  _ You have succeeded in proving your wisdom.  _

“Where’s Link?” 

Midna waited for the voice to respond, but no verbal response came. A light emerged from the pedestal where the Fused Shadow resided. It flew out of the room and Midna followed it. It led her through many corridors before stopping in one room. Midna looked around. She heard a groan coming from above her. She looked up to see Link above her, binded against the wall with vines. She let out a laugh. He slowly opened his eyes. 

“Midna? Why are you…” Link said groggily. He tried to move, but upon realizing he couldn’t he began to panic. Midna couldn’t help but laugh. 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my goodness!!! I haven't been able to update in forever cause my laptop completely broke and getting it replaced took forEVER!! I don't even know if people still follow this fic, but I do apologize for the long wait. Coming back to this fic, I'm not as big of a fan of it, but I hate leaving things unfinished, so here ya go!

The two had returned to the canopy tree they made camp under the previous night. They had made a small fire to light the night up.

“What happened back there?” Midna asked. Link looked at her confused. “You ended up on the ceiling.” 

“Oh,” Link shrugged. “I met up with you, or fake you, and we were walking. I thought you were acting weird. I turned around to confront you. Next thing I knew, I was on the ceiling.” 

“How’d you know I was a fake?” She asked. Link was silent, looking at the fire. 

“You were too nice to me.” He smirked. Midna rolled her eyes. 

“Shut up, I’m serious.” She laughed. He gave a small laugh. 

“How’d you know?” This time it was Midna’s turn to be quiet. 

“You said you loved me,” She replied softly. When Link didn’t respond, she continued. “It wasn’t the fact that you said you loved me, it was how you said it. You wanted to run away with me, abandon the castle and have it be just you and me.” 

“I won’t lie,” Link said after a long pause. “I’ve heavily considered that.” 

“Considered what?” 

“Running away and never looking back.” Midna looked at Link, who was still gazing into the fire. 

“With me?” Link nodded. Midna looked back at the fire. 

“I would never do it, of course, but I’ve considered it. Going home sounds nice right now, but I know I can’t because while my home is safe now, it won’t be.” 

“I wanted to abandon my post as queen.” Midna looked at Link “I would never, but royalty is lonely. People are afraid of me because with a single word I can ruin their families life. I can’t tell if people are being kind to me because they have to, or because they want to.” 

“Don’t worry, I’m only kind to you because I have to,” Link winked at her. Minda smiled and looked away. Her heart was fluttering in her chest. She felt so stereotypical. Was she truly this susceptible to emotions? Her cheeks were red and her pulse was racing. 

“Shut up.” She smirked back. Link chuckled. 

“You never answered my question, though,” Midna said. “How’d you know?” 

“I only somewhat knew. Like I said, you were really nice to me. We…” Midna watched as Link’s face got red. “I don’t know. You were just being too nice.” 

“You’re blushing.”

“Shut up.” Midna just smirked. Link rubbed his face. “You kissed me. Next thing I knew, I was on the ceiling.” Midna frowned. When she was kissed, she didn’t fail the challenge. Her cheeks went rosy as she came to the realization. 

“You gave in.” Midna murmured, looking at the fire. Link looked at her.

“What?” Link asked. 

“Nothing,” Midna said. She needed time to digest this information. “Come on, let’s sleep. We need to go to Snowpeak tomorrow.” 

~~~~~~~

It was the middle of the night when Midna woke up. Her heart was beating, but she couldn’t remember her dream. Regardless, she felt panic building in her chest. She looked around for Link. She spotted him lying in the grass a few feet away from her. Midna scooted closer to him. She put her head on his stomach. He felt him move slightly. She tried to be as still as possible. She felt a hand wrap around her side. She laid there, thinking about nothing, her mind still groggy. She let her brain drift back into dreamland.


	15. Chapter 15

The two had arrived at the entrance to Snowpeak. It was freezing cold. Link was shivering. The two were traversing on the thick layers of snow. It was windy, and Link could barely see through the snow. 

“Fuck, I hate this place.” Midna said. Link agreed. From the wolves that would attack them to the bitter cold, this place was awful. They kept walking until they reached a wall of ice. It was quite beautiful. The sun reflected off of it, lighting the surface. It also revealed a cave. 

“This must be our cave.” Link said. They walked inside to get out of the cold. Once they were inside, Link looked around. It was dimly lit. The pair walked side by side. Until a large gust of wind came in through the cave entrance. Link was blinded by the white snow. When the flurries died, he looked around for Midna. He couldn’t find her anywhere. 

“Midna?” Link called out. “Midna?!” 

There was no response. Link began walking through the cave. As he walked, it got colder and colder. He was shivering, rubbing his arms to try and warm up. He was walking until tingles went down his spine. He turned around, his sword drawn. It was Colin, a boy from Ordon. 

“That quick to violence? The spirits were right. You truly are going to destroy Hyrule one day.” 

“What?” Link was confused. “Colin-” 

As soon as he blinked, Colin was gone. 

“You’ll never be a hero!” He heard the young boy shout. “You’ll be the destroyer of our land!” 

Link started moving faster. He kept hearing shouts from the boy. Some were tame, calling him a destroyer, but some cut deep. 

“I used to want to be you, but I didn’t know the real you!” 

Link felt like all of his sins were crawling on his skin. Suddenly, it clicked. This was the test. The test of courage was your resistance to fear. Link didn’t have many fears, however. His only fear was becoming a villain, and he knew that would never happen. He kept walking. He heard a bloodcurdling scream. Someone was screaming for help. 

“Get away from me!” He heard the voice shout. “Link, where are you?!”

Link felt his stomach turn. Link didn’t have many fears to exploit, but Midna had a host of them. Her nightmares were intense enough, and this was just a waking nightmare. He ran towards her. Her screams continued. He felt his heart begin to pound. 

“Link, please!” 

He ran into a room. He saw someone huddled in the corner. They were crying. Link slowly approached. 

“Midna?” He asked, cautious. 

“Why didn’t you hurry?” He heard her cry. “Why did you take so long?”

“Midna, I-” 

“Where were you?” The figure began to rise. “Where were you?!” 

“I don’t-” 

“You were at home.” She spat. “You were at home while I was being tortured. You were sleeping comfily in your bed while I was beaten and defiled.” 

“Midna-” Link felt tears threaten to spill out of his eyes. He blinked them back. This wasn’t real. He knew it wasn’t real, but her words stung. He heard a scream in the distance. He needed to find the Fused Shadow. Only then would he be able to find Midna. He turned around and left the room, ignoring “Midna’s” hateful words. 

He turned the corner. He was anxious and cold, but he had to ignore his fear right now. He continued venturing through the rooms. It got colder and colder. Eventually, it was a struggle to move forwards. The wind was blowing, and each step was difficult. He looked down, shielding his eyes from the wind. He walked like this for a few more minutes until he felt a burst of heat. He looked up. 

Link was in a dark room. Snow covered the floor. In the center was a pedestal showcasing the Fused Shadow. Link walked forwards and grabbed the helm. 

_ You have done well to complete this trial,  _ a voice said. Link looked around.  _ Your demonstration of courage has proven you are worthy of wielding a power as mighty as this.  _

Link looked at the helm for a moment before his attention was drawn away. He heard a faint scream. He ran out of the room, looking for the source. As he got closer, he could hear voices. He picked out a distinct male voice, but he couldn’t understand what they were saying. 

It wasn’t long before he found Midna. She was holding a spear. She was looking around frantically. Link slowly approached. 

“Midna,” Link began. She whipped around and instantly threw his spear at him. Link easily dodged it, simply stepping to the side. She moved back until she ran into a wall. 

“Get away from me!” Her voice was filled with raw emotion. “Please, I can’t take it anymore!”

“Midna,” Link stepped forwards. “It’s okay. I have the Fused Shadow. We can leave.” 

It felt like his words went in one ear and out the other. Midna sank to the ground. She put her head between her knees. 

“Please! I tried! I tried so hard…” Midna kept talking, her voice rambling on, mashing words together. 

Link kneeled down. “Midna please, I need you to listen to me. We need to leave.” 

“No, I need to get the shadow.”

“I have it. We can leave.” 

Midna looked up. She looked at Link’s waistband, where he had put the Fused Shadow. 

“Midna, you need to warp us out of here.” 

Midna wordlessly nodded. She grabbed on to Link and everything faded to darkness. 

~~~~~~~~

Link’s vision returned. They were in the air above Gerudo Desert. They landed in the sand. Link stood and looked around. The sun was starting to set, bringing in a cool night breeze. They were at the entrance to the Cave of Ordeals. Link saw Midna in the distance, kneeling in the sand. Link walked over. He sat in the sand next to her. 

She was sitting, her legs pulled into her body, arms wrapped around them. She was facing the sunset. 

“I want the maker of that trial executed.” Midna said. Her voice was gravelly. Link let out a small laugh. 

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Link asked. When she didn’t answer he looked at her. She was maintaining eye contact with the sun. Link scooted closer and put his arm around her. Midna rested her head on his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“For what?” 

“Everything.” Link stared off in the distance. “I wish I could move past this, but I can’t.” 

“It’s not your fault.” 

“No, it’s not. Nothing that happened was my fault, but I’m still letting it bring me down. I should’ve been able to complete that challenge easily. I don’t scare easily. At least, I didn’t. I died, and I wasn’t the least bit scared. 

“But, Link. I’m  _ terrified,  _ and I don’t know why. I can’t stop thinking about what happened. I could’ve done so much more to prevent it, but I didn’t. I could’ve fought back, but I didn’t, because I was scared. I know it wasn’t my fault, but there are things I should've done.” 

Link knew the feeling. When Ilia and Colin were taken by King Bulblin, he spent a long time wondering if he could’ve done more. There was absolutely nothing he could’ve done, so he focused on the decisions he could still make. 

“You can’t do anything about the past, but you can change the future.” Link spoke. “Focus on the decisions you can make right now.” 

Link watched as the sunset turned into nightfall. He sat, deep in thought, but also not thinking of a single thing. He was exhausted. The last stop was the Cave of Ordeals, and last time, the cave proved to be insanely difficult. One hundred floors of enemies, getting harder and harder with each floor. He wasn’t excited. He thought of taking a small break before entering. Link needed it, and he knew Midna needed it. 

This was a conversation for tomorrow. For now, he let himself relax, gazing at the stars above. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic in this fandom, so I'd really enjoy feedback! Cheers! <3


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